Automatic replenishing loom



Feb. 11, 1941. c. D. BROWN AUTOMATIC REPLENISHING LOOM Filed June 5, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. @EL DK. Bec wN.

ATTORNEY.

Feb. 11, 1941.` c. D. BROWN AUTOMATIC REPLENISHING LOOM Filed June 5, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NNMH mwN R @www u w w N w .Nv 1 5 D. )w u wm L L -w M il C N|H NNI WN m fj h Wil BYMW ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 11, 1941 PATENT OFFICE 2,231,825 AUTOMATIC REPLENISHING LOOM Carl D. Brown Hopedale, Mass., kassigner to Draperv Corporation, Hopedale, Mass., a corporation of Maine Application June 5, 1940, Serial No. 338,973 1i claims. (ci. 139-256) The present invention pertains to automatic lling replenishing looms having pneumatic means for holding and tensioning the filling thread and removing loose' pieces of lling ends from the loom, and more particularly relates to the actuating and controlling of such means.

The usual automatic filling replenishing loom includes a reciprocating lay, a shuttle, and filling replenishing mechanism including a magazine for 1o holding a multiplicity of reserve filling carriers. The ends of the filling .thread on the reserve carriers are extended and retained by a holder. In looms of the type mentioned, yoperation of the replenishing mechanism incidentally results in l5 the formation of outgoing and incoming'filling ends projecting from kthe cloth selvagqwhich filling ends are cut adjacent the cloth selvage and thereupon become loose pieces of filling on thread. Unless the loose pieces of'threadA are gathered and removed from the loom, they are apt to be caught by the lay or shuttle and drawn into the cloth, thereby causing defects in the cloth.

In prior looms pneumatic means have been provided to hold the ends of the filling thread of the reserve carriers and also pneumatic means have been provided to remove the loose pieces of filling ends away from the loom. In such prior structures the means for actuating and controlling the pneumatic means have been either too costly or involved or both with the result that looms used commercially have not been provided with pneumatic means for holding the lling ends and removing the loose pieces of filling ends, to any great extent.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide in an automatic replenishing loom having pneumatic means for holding and tensioning the filling thread and removingloose pieces of lling ends from the loom, electric means for operating the pneumatic means and novel means for supplying the electric energy for oper'- ating the electric means, which energy supplying 45 means shall be constructed and arranged to effect operation of the pneumatic means only at the time of and for an intervalof several picks after each replenishing operation, whereby said pneumatic means shall Abe operated at the proper 5f) time and for a sufficient length of time to effectively remove the loose pieces of filling ends and electively hold and tension the filling threads of the reserve filling carriers in the magazine.

The foregoing and other objects of the present 5;, invention are accomplished in the construction illustrated on the accompanying drawings, oi which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of part of a loom having the preferred embodiment of my invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a view in cross-section taken approximately on line 2--2 of Fig. 1, but to a larger scale;

Fig. 3 is a section view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 4; l0

Fig. 4 is a view in cross section of the thermostatic switch taken approximately along line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing the switchr in a closed position; Fig. 6 is a front view of the loom shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. l is a view in elevation of one corner of said loom;

Fig. 8 is a schematic wiring diagram of certain 20 electrical apparatus on said loom.

The loom shown on the drawings is but fragmentarily illustrated, the parts and mechansms not shown being of any suitable usual construction and not of the present invention. In addition, certain of the parts shown are not new, they being of the present invention only to the extent that they comprise parts that may be used as elements in the combination definedin the appended claims.

The aforesaid old parts include a loom frame of which theright hand loom side I and breast beam 2 are shown, and also include the lay, reed, shuttle box, shuttle, picking mechanism and filling replenishing mechanism hereinafter described. The lay includes a lay beam 3 mounted to reciprocate toward and from the front of the loom and carries a'shuttle box 4 at one end thereof. The shuttle box 4 is located at the re- 40 plenishing end of the lay, which in. the present instance is at the right hand side of the loom.

A shuttle 5, carrying the filling supply, is picked from side to side of the loom along the lay beam 3, by picking mechanism, including a picker stick 6. As the shuttle is thus picked, it lays picks of filling thread in the shed S which filling thread is beaten into the fell by reed 1 to thereby form cloth C. The filling supply in the shuttle usually lasts fon an interval of several hundred or even several thousand picks, and when the supply is substantially exhausted a fresh supply is provided by automatic filling replenishing mechanism.

The automatic filling replenishing mechanism shown includes a rotary hopper or magazine 8 having a supply of bobbins 9 therein, and also includes a transferrer II) and means, of which a. rod II is shown, for initiating operation of the transferrer. When the filling supply in the shuttle is determined (by means not shown) to be substantially exhausted, the starting rod I I is turned in a direction clockwise on Fig. 2. This moves other usual devices not shown, and when the shuttle 5 enters the shuttle box 4 the transferrer I8 inserts a fresh bobbin 9 therein and expels the exhausted bobbin from the shuttle. The filling ends F of the filling on the bobbins 9 are extended beyond the end of the magazine 8 and are held and tensioned by pneumatic holding and tensioning mechanism. Any suitable pneumatic holding and tensioning mechanism may be used, however the particular type preferred and disclosed may be similar to that disclosed and claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 305,153, filed Nov. 18, 1939. i

The preferred type of filling end holding and tensioning mechanism includes a holding member, preferably in the form of a conduit I 3 having an opening I4 therein. The opening I4 may consist of the open end of the conduit I3. The opening I 4 in the conduit is so located that it may receive or contain the ends of all of the filling ends F. Thus in the embodiment shown, the opening I4 is located above the shuttle box 4 adjacent the outer end of the magazine 8, but below and slightly back of the axis of rotation of the magazine.

The lling ends F, extended as above described, are manually presented to or adjacent the opening I4 at the time when the bobbins 9 are inserted in the magazine. The loom is provided with means, hereinafter to be described, for inducing currents of air to flow into the opening I4 to thereby draw the ends F into the holder or conduit I3.

Immediately after the replenishing operation, above described, is completed, the lay moves rearwardly and the shuttle 5 is picked along the lay beam 3 through the shed S, thereby laying a pick of filling thread (from the fresh supply) in the shed. Then the lay beats this pick of filling into the cloth C thereby leaving an end f' of filling extending from the cloth selvage to the holder I3. This filling end f is known in the art as the incoming filling end.

At the time of each transferring operation, the filling thread is parted between the ends of the shuttle, and the branch f of such thread, which projects from the cloth selvage is clamped and withdrawn forwardly out of the shuttle box 4. The end f is known as the outgoing filling end. The drawings show parting and clamping blades I 2 for parting, clamping and withdrawing the outgoing filling end f. The blades I2 and thev mechanism therefor, not shown, may be substantially the same asin patent to Stafford No. 1,552,388, granted Sept. 1, 1925, to which patent reference may be had for a more complete disclosure.

Both the incoming filling end f and the outgoing filling end ,f are parted adjacent the cloth selvage by any suitable means such as the usual temple thread cutter I5. The thread cutter is operative to part the filling ends f and f Within a few picks after the replenishing operation is completed. The parting of these filling ends forms the loose pieces of filling thread, above mentioned, which are apt to be drawn into the cloth.

Any suitable pneumatic means maybe provided for gathering the loose pieces of filling thread and removing them from the loom. The

particular type preferred and shown may be similar to that disclosed and claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 304,095, filed Nov. 13, 1939.

In the particular embodiment shown, such pneumatic means includes a pipe or conduit IE, supported by a bracket I1 so as to terminate directly in front of the shuttle box 4 intermediate the ends thereof, and beneath the magazine 8. When thus supported the open end I3 of conduit I6 is closely adjacent the outgoing filling end f. Means are provided to induce a fiow of air into conduit I6.

'Ihe particular pneumatic means shown for inducing a current of air to fiow into conduits I3 and I6 includes a conduit I9 connected at its upper end to conduits I3 and I6 and connected at its lower end tothe intake of a rotary suction fan or pump 20 which is enclosed in a housing The fan 20 is electrically operated, and to this end it may be fixed on the end of the rotor shaft 22 of an electric motor 2'3. The housing of the motor23 may be bolted directly to the housing 2| of the fan and the unit thus formed may be supported on a fixedl bracket 24. The exhaust conduit 25 of the housing 2I may lead to any suitable point remote from the moving parts of the loo-m.

It will be apparent that when the motor 23 and fan 20 are in operation, all of the filling ends F within the opening I4 will be held and tensioned simultaneously by the currents of air flowing into the opening. 'I'he yielding tension thus provided is particularly desirable during actual operation of the replenishing mechanism and during the rst pick of the shuttle after each replenishing operation. It is also desirable that the pneumatic means, such as fan 20, be in operation at the time when, after each replenishing operation, the incoming filling end f' is parted adjacent the cloth selvagey by the temple thread cutter I5. With the pneumatic means in operation as aforesaid, the parted incoming filling end f is promptly carried through the conduit I3 and out the exhaust 25 and is thereby removed from the loom.

When the fan 2U is in operation during the actual operation of the replenishing mechanism as aforesaid, the outgoing filling end f, upon being severed and clamped by the parting and cutting means I2 and withdrawn forwardly out of the shuttle box 4, will be sucked into the opening I3 of conduit I6 upon being released by the clamp. Upon the later severance of the outgoing filling end f adjacent the cloth selvage by the temple thread cutter I5, the filling end will be promptly carried through the conduit I6 and out the exhaust 25 and thereby removed from the loom.

According to the present invention, the pneumatic means is to be operated intermittently. More specifically, means are provided which normally supply electric energy to the motor 23 only during and for an interval of a lplurality of picks after each replenishing operation. 'Ihe preferred means for thispurpose includes an electric circuit of which one lead 26 is directly connected to the motor 23 andthe other lead 2 is connected to a thermostatic switch 28, which in turn is connected to the motor 23l by a lead 29. When the switch 28 is closed, the circuit to the motor is complete and the motor, of course, then operates.

The particular thermostatic switch shown in- .cludes an insulating housing member having a base 30 and circular side walls 3I. A stud 32 is threaded into the base 3| and extends upwardly Within the housing, a disc-shaped bi-metallic 'thermostatic member 33 is fixedly secured to stud 32 between collars 34 and 35 carried by ythe stud leaving this member free and 'unrestrained outside this confined central portion. The stud 32 carries a push button 3B at its upper end. The push button 35 is slidable upon stud 32 and a spring 31 serves'to hold the push button in its upper position.

Fixedly connected to pushbutton 36 is a plate 31 carrying adjacent each outer end projections 38. The thermostatic member 33 has on its bottom surface adjacent the outer periphery thereof two contact points 39 and 40. Secured to the inner surface of the base 30 are three contact points 4I, 42 and 43. Contact points. 4I and 42 carried by the base 30 are located directly beneath contact points 39 and 40 carried byr the 'thermostatic member 33. The lead 2l'. is connected to contact point 4l and lead 29 is connected to contact point 42. A fine wire coil 44 located on the inner surface of the base. 30 yand beneath the thermostatic member 33, connects contact point 42 with contact point 43. A resistance 45 is connected to contact point 43 and to lead 26.

The thermostatic member 33 is normally exed in the position shown in Fig. 4. The member 33 is capable of quickly passing to the oppositev flexed position shown in Fig. 5, when pressure is exerted on push button 36 moving it inwardly and thereby causing projections 38 to press on the `periphery of member 33. Member 33 is also capable of quickly fiexing back to the normal fiexed position shown in Fig. 4, upon being heated to a critical temperature. v Thus member 33 is capable of quickly passing from a first to a second of two opposite fiexed positions upon the application of external force and also capable of quickly passing back to the first position from the secondposition upon being heated to a critical temperature.

The contact points 39 and 4llcarried by member 33 are held spaced apart from the contact points 4l and 42 when member 33 is in the first or normal position as shown in Fig. 4. vUpon movement of member 33 to the second position by pressure upon push button 36 Contact points 39 and 40 are brought and held in contact with contact points 4l and 42.

Means are provided for pushing the push button 33 inwardly, thereby closing the electric circuit and supplying energy to motor 23. The particular means shown include a lever46 loosely pivot-ed upon rod Il. The rear end of lever 46 has an upturned projection 41 to contact the push button 36 and the forward end of lever 46 provides a handle for manual operation ofthe lever. The bottom of lever 4S.rests on-a projection 48 on the shuttle feeler starting arm 49 which is -fiXedly connected to rod Il tol turn therewith. Upon the turning of rod Il in a clockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 2, to call for operation ofthe replenishing mechanism, arm 49 with the projection 48 is raised, thereby raising lever 46 causing the projection 4l tov push on the push button 36.

The operation of the device is asy follows:

Upon rod l l turning to call for operation of the replenishing mechanism lever 46 pushes on the push button 36, causing the thermostatic member 33 to quickly pass from the position shown in Fig. 4 to that shown in Fig.5 thereby making contact between contact points 39 and 40 and 4l and 42 respectively, closing the circuit and causing the motor 23 to operate the fan. yImmediately upon the circuit being closed, electricity flows into coil 44 causing it to heat upand thereby heat the thermostatic member 33 to the critical temperature, which upon being reached causes member 33 to quickly pass to the position shown in Fig.'4 thereby breaking contact between contact points 39 and 40 and 4I and 42 respectively and opening the circuit thereby stopping the motor and fan. The rate of heating of the coil 44 may be varied and controlled by changing the resistance 45, and the rate of heating will be so set as to raise the temperature of the member 33 to the critical temperature a predetermined interval from the closing of the circuit bythe operation v of the rod l I.

The switch 28 is attached to a bracket 50 which in turn is fixed to the loom frame so located as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as to be in position to be contacted by the projection 41 on lever 46.

If considered desirable the conduit I 3 may be lined with a friction material 5I, extending inwardly a short distance from the opening I4. Such friction material may consist of pile fabric or fur or the like and provides holding means during the period of non-operation of the pneumatic means.

Having fully disclosed the preferred embodiment of my invention, I claim:

1. In an automatic filling replenishing loom of the type incidentally forming loose pieces of filling ends, said loom having filling replenishing mechanism including a magazine adapted to hold a multiplicity of reserve lling carriers having filling ends projecting therefrom, the combination of electrically operated pneumatic means for holding'and tensioning said filling ends and for removing said loose pieces of filling ends, and an electric circuit supplying electric energy to said electrically operated pneumatic means, said circuit including a thermostatic switch, mechanical means for closing said switch each time said replenishing mechanism operates and automatic electrically operated means in said circuit arranged to effect the opening of said switch a plurality of picks after each replenishing operation.

2. In an automatic filling replenishingloom of the type incidentally forming loose pieces of fillingl ends, said loom having filling replenishing mechanism including a magazine adapted to hold a multiplicity of reserve filling carriers having filling ends projectingr therefrom, the combination of electrically operated pneumatic means for holding and tensioning said filling ends and for removing said loose pieces of filling ends, an electric circuit supplying electric energy to operate said pneumatic means, and a switch for closing and opening said circuit, said switch comprising a thermostatic member movable to close and open said circuit, mechanical means operable by a moving part of the loom on operation of said replenishing mechanism to move said member to close said circuit and means set in operation upon lclosure of said circuit to move said member to open said circuit at a later predetermined interval.

3. In an automatic rlling replenishingwl'oom the l combination of pneumatic filling end holding and tensioning means, pneumatic filling end removing means, electrical means for operating said pneumatic means and thermostatic means for controlling the operation of said electrical means, said thermostatic means comprising a member capable of passing from one to the otherv of two opposite flexed positions under the infiuence of heat, said member in one of said positions permitting the iiow of electric energy to said electrical means, and in the other of said positions stopping the ow of electric energy to said electrical means, mechanical means for moving said member to the position permitting the flow of electric energy operable upon each operation of said replenishing mechanism, and automatic means for heating said member after each replenishing operation to thereby cause said member to move to the position for stopping the flow of electric energy to said electrical means a predetermined interval after each Said replenishing operation.

4. A loom having `a reciprocating lay, an automatic filling replenishing mechanism, .a pneumatic iilling end remover and filling end holder for holding the reserve' filling ends and forA removing the loose pieces of incoming and outgoing filling ends, an electric motor for operating said remover and holder, and means controlling the supply of electric energy to said motor, said means comprising an electric circuit having spaced contact points providing a normally open circuit, a thermostatic contact making member capable of passing from a first to a second of two opposite flexed positions upon the application of external force and also capable of passing back to said first position upon being heated to a critical temperature, said member when in said first position being spaced from said contact points and when in said second position contacting said points and thereby closing said circuit, mechanical means actuated upon each replenishing operation to move said member to said second position and means operable after the operation of said replenishing mechanism to heat said member to said critical temperature after a predetermined interval, thereby causing said member to move back to said first position and open said circuit.

5. A loom having a reciprocating lay, automatic filling replenishing mechanism, including a magazine adapted to hold a multiplicity of reserve filling carriers, said carriers having filling ends projecting therefrom, electrically operated pneumatic means for holding and tensioning said filling ends, an electric circuit supplying electric energy to Aoperate said pneumatic means, said circuit including a thermostatic switch, mechanical means for closing said switch each time said replenishing mechanism operates and automatic electrically operated means in said circuit arranged to effect the opening of said switch a plurality of picks after each replenishing operation.

6. A loom having a reciprocating lay, automatic filling replenishing mechanism including a magazine adapted to hold a multiplicity of reserve filling carriers, said carriers having filling ends projecting therefrom, pneumatic means for holding and tensioning said filling ends, a motor for operating said pneumatic means, an electric circuit supplying electric energy to said motor said circuit 'including a thermostatic switch, said switch comprising a member mechanically movable to a position permitting the flow of electric energy to said motor and thermostatically movable to a position stopping the flow of electric energy to said motor, mechanical means actuated upon each replenishing operation to move said member to said first named position and means for heating said member to thereby cause said member to move to said second named position a plurality of picks after Veach replenishing operation.

'7. A loom having a reciprocating lay, an automatic filling replenishing mechanism, a pneumatic filling end holder, an electric motor for operating said holder and means controlling the supply of electric energy to said motor; said means comprising .anelectric-circuit having spaced contact points providing a normally open circuit, a thermostatic contact making member capable of passing from a first to a, second of two opposite flexed positions upon the application of external force, and also capable of passing back to said first position upon being heated to a critical temperature, said member when in said first position being spaced from said contact points and when in said second position contacting said points and i thereby 'closing said circuit, mechanical means actuated upon each replenishing operation to move said member to said second position, and means operable 'a 'predetermined' interval after the operation of said replenishing mechanism to heat `said member to said vcritical temperature, thereby causing said member to move back to said first position and operi said circuit.

8. A loom having a reciprocating lay, automatic filling replenishing mechanism incidentally forming the usual outgoing and incoming filling ends projecting yfrom the cloth selvage, means for parting said filling ends adjacent the cloth selvage, pneumatic means constructed and arranged to gather the parted filling ends and remove them from the loom, an electric motor for operating said pneumatic means, an electric circuit supplying electric energy to said motor, said circuit including a thermostatic switch, mechanical means for closing said switch at the time or each operation of'said replenishing mechanism, and electrically operated means in said circuit arranged to effect the openingof said switcha plurality of picks after each replenishing operation.

9. A loom having automatic filling replenishing mechanism which incidentally forms the usual outgoing and incoming filling ends projecting from the cloth selvage, means for parting said filling ends adjacent the cloth selvage, electrically operated pneumatic means for gathering the parted filling ends and removing them from the loom and means supplying electric energy to said electrically operated means only during and for a predetermined interval after each operation of said replenishing mechanism, said energy supplying-means comprising a member mechanically movable to a position permitting the flow of electric energy lto said electrically operated means and thermostatically movable to a position stopping the flow of electric energy to said electrically operated means, mechanical means actuated upon each replenishing operation to move said member to said first namedposition and means for heating said member to thereby cause said member to move to said second named position a plurality of picks after each replenishing operation.

10. A loom having a reciprocating lay, an automatic filling replenishing mechanism, a pneumatic filling end remover, an electric motor for operating said remover and means controlling the supply of electric energy to said motor, said means comprising an electric circuit having spaced contact points providing a normally open circuit, a thermostatic contact making member capable of passing from a first to a second of two opposite flexed positions upon the application of external force and also capable of passing back to said first position upon being heated to a critical temperature, saidmember when in said first position being spaced from said contact points and when in saidsecond position contacting said points and thereby closing said circuit, mechanical means actuated upon each replenishing operation to move said member to said second position and means operable a predetermined interval after the operation of said replenishing mechanism to heat said member to said critical temperature, thereby causing said member to move back to said first position and open said circuit.

11. A loom having a reciprocating lay, automatic filling replenishing mechanism, an electrically operated pneumatic filling end remover and means for controlling the supply of electric energy thereto, said means comprising a thermostatic member capable of passing from a first to a second of two opposite flexed positions upon application of external force and also capable of passing back to said first position upon being heated to a critical temperature, said member when in said first position stopping the flow of electric energy to said electrically operated pneumatic filling end remover and when in said second position permitting the iiow of electric energy to said remover, mechanical means actuated upon each operation of said replenishing mechanism for moving said member to said second position and means operable a predetermined interval after the operation of said replenishing mechanism to heat said member to said critical temperature whereby said member moves to said iirst position thereby stopping the flow of electric energy to said remover.

CARL D. BROWN. 

